The Exiled
The Exiled are an army of elite Drukhari led by the Incubi group, The Stainless. When this group willingly left the Dark City and chose exile in order to hone their craft and pursue martial purity, the attraction of that power -along with their newfound objective for the Drukhari race- drew splinter groups from various kabals. These splinter groups, mainly coming from the Kabal of the Flayed Skull and Black Heart, united under the leadership of the Stainless thus forming the army of The Exiled. Drukhari are, by nature, horribly power hungry and sadistic. The Exiled are even more so. Their desire for power and inflicting pain, however, is honed and concentrated onto a specific target or objective. Upon first observation, one might say that they are more reserved or docile for they keep their desires within. This could not be further from the truth. For within the souls of these Exiled warriors lies a seething hatred for those who oppose their ways, and a burning desire to inflict an eternity of pain on those very subjects. Most Drukhari are power-hungry in that they constantly fight amongst themselves to gain power, and -simply put- because they enjoy inflicting pain. Naturally, one sees how the Drukhari are an extremely dangerous race. The Exiled, however, are infinitely more dangerous. For they apply the same terrible, sadistic tendencies to a code of martial purity. Now joyously inflicting pain in the name of an ideal. This ideal would see the universe ruled by a Drukhari race united by a single objective: domination. The Exiled believe that, due to their unique nature as Drukhari to not only enjoy pain themselves but enjoy inflicting pain upon others, grants them a potential to become the dominant and superior beings in the galaxy. Furthermore, they look down upon the rest of the Drukhari who they see as merely squabbling ravenous animals who have not the mind to control and focus their instincts. Naturally, the rest of life in the universe is put further below that consideration, because an impulsive ravenous Drukhari is superior yet to a human. Through this code by which the Exiled live, they place themselves above all life. Deciding who will receive their sadistic wrath. Because of this, it is far worse to stand in the path of the Exiled than a normal Drukhari army. Power, wrath, and the desire to destroy are infinitely more potent in the hands of idealism. Most secret, however, is how those of this Exiled army seem to be able to resist Slaneesh’s consumption significantly better than other Drukhari. The Stainless even more so. They execute their victims after relatively little torturing compared to most Drukhari armies. This suggests that Slaneesh’s hold on them is somewhat weakened. Although how exactly this is possible is still a mystery. The Stainless (Those of the Ancient Winter) * The Stainless were the personal Incubi hit squad of Asdrubael Vect before the collapse. They, however, slowly became disgusted with the state of their own people. Fed up with the constant squabbling and meaningless in-fighting of the Drukhari of Commoragh, they chose exile to pursue more important goals then being a warlord's pet. They spent generations on a snowy, mountainous world, living a stoic existence consumed by their devotion to hone their craft. The Stainless do not partake in petty politics. They cannot be bought, intimidated, or reasoned with. If they decide on a task, it will be done. Swiftly, cleanly, and efficiently. Throughout the years this sect of Incubi can now easily destroy any squadron of Drukhari, including other Incubi. They are called The Stainless for their minds are steel, and they cannot be swayed or corrupted from their path. The name also carries beyond their ideals, and references the almost surgical precision with which they carry out their massacres. Most glaringly, however, is their metallic white armor that never seems to be stained with blood or dirt. They cooly stride into battle, glistening and pure, until they reap the souls from any who oppose them. The Stainless are the masterminds of the Exiled army. Devoted to their objective of purifying the Drukhari race and gaining dominion over all life in the universe. * The Stainless are truly amazing. For while they spent hundreds of years honing their abilities in battle, they also spent this time in self-reflection analyzing how to become superior both mentally and physically. Their state of ideals is nothing short of genius; for their ambition has a direction such that it elevates them above petty power politics and meaningless squabbles amongst their own people. But it is not so vigorous as to cloud their minds with blind faith like the many chapters of the Space Marines. This ideal is felt stronger in each Drukhari than any faith could be felt in a human. And yet, despite the burning tempest within, it is clear and logical. No distracting scripture, no blind passion. These Drukhari have become the cool-minded and swift embodiment of their singular objective. Morgolael Vect * There is no true archon or warlord within the ranks of the Exiled. If one were to choose, however, the unofficial leader of this horrifying force would be Morgolael Vect, descendant of Archon Asdrubael Vect himself. He hid his true name and nature, choosing to join the Incubi and become honor guard to his own father. However, once he saw how the Drukhari's ravenous hunger for pain and suffering was unguided, he became truly disgusted with the state of his own people. He honed his craft to become the best swordsman in Drukhari history in order to prove that a honed mind and blade are far superior to any piracy the Drukhari have enacted in the past. He soon realized that his own displays of power meant nothing alongside the chaotic fighting of the Drukhari. And so, he marshaled a small force of his fellow Incubi, who all agreed that the Drukhari must learn to fight with direction and as one mind with the singular objective of dominating all life. Once Commoragh collapsed and all warlords, including Asdrubael began fighting over ownership of Morgolael and his warriors, they slaughtered as many warlords as they could, and Morgolael killed his own father in open challenge. Dismembering him in front of his own army belonging to the Kabal of the Black heart. Together, these Incubi brought about the forbidden sword art by the name of “The Way of Wandering Torment,” and lived a monk-like lifestyle pursuing perfection and martial purity for generations. They are now returned, and intend to forcefully drag the Drukhari race into its new potential, and see themselves as the dominant beings in the galaxy. The Way of Wandering Torment * This deadly form has already has achieved status as a forbidden sword art. For current archons and warlords in Commoragh fear that an Incubi who learns this art will become sympathetic to the cause of its creators and join The Exiled. It is, without question, the superior sword art of the Incubi. Perhaps the most potent in history, it utilizes quick, clean cuts and an almost dancer-like form. While many Incubi prefer to use their glaives to block swords and spears and then use their superior weight to chop through both weapon and armor, the Stainless have found that this strategy weakens the blade and fills it with dents and cracks. The Way of Wandering Torment stresses proper blocking techniques so as to not harm the edge, and swift fluid movements to disarm and then neatly decapitate/dismember opponents. The dancer-like fighting style is almost a visual illusion. For the glaive is a large heavy weapon that, when utilized in this particular sword art, hides its true striking power and size. Thus allowing the enemy to believe that the wielder is simply misusing the weapon when, in reality, an Incubi of The Stainless has discerned every ideal angle, grip, movement, and striking power so as to cleanly destroy their enemy with minimal effort. The Way of Wandering Torment, however, requires a lifetime of practice and strengthening so a Stainless can wield the glaive with one hand or two with ease. It bears this name due to the group that created it; wanderers tormented by their new burden to better the Drukhari race and ultimately dominate the universe. It is also given this name for, every place the Stainless wander, their enemies are given a brutal and swift reminder of their own inadequacy and inferiority at the hands of these great warriors. Drukhari feed off the pain of others, but when a Stainless enters battle they cleanly kill any who stand in their way. For the ones being slaughtered, this is the ultimate insult to one’s soul. These Incubi are showing that their foes are not worth toying with for they are not even capable of feeling the degrees of pain which these horrifying swordsmen seek to inflict. Being shown that one’s soul is insignificant, and not worth the effort to extract every ounce of pain it can endure. That, in itself, is torment. The Sunken Souls * A few select squadrons from the Kabal of the Black Heart; the best and largest ground army in Commoragh, they were the more ambitious who were convinced to follow the Stainless and become truly powerful. They were part of the most formidable force brought to power by Vect himself, yes, but the Stainless convinced them of further potential which could be unlocked when operating as a specialized unit instead of another squadron in a larger army. These Kabalites are slightly less idealistic than their commanding officers, but easily follow the logic in their actions. Exterminating what is left of the petty squabbling within Drukhari society will allow the Drukhari to finally act with a single mind, and dominate the universe with martial purity. The Screaming Blood * This sect of Kabalites are essentially the best pirates out of the Drukhari and likely in the universe. They are rash, passionate, bold, and almost mad. They have jumped headfirst into the ideals of the Stainless, but lose some of the cool-minded calculation and instead prefer to use their aerial might to “cleanse the animals.” They are an interesting counterpart to the Sunken Souls. For while the Sunken Souls provide logic and cool calculation, the Screaming Blood offer the all-consuming maniacal passion that comes with idealism. The Stainless are, of course, a perfect balance of the two which makes them able to handle both sects well. The Screaming Blood has, however, given the Exiled army some trouble because they tend to be too ambitious in their cleansing and only when commanded directly by the Stainless do they accept new recruits into their ranks. They also tend to.. “play with their food” which can distract from certain objectives. The Undying * The most recent force to join The Exiled, this lesser known coven led by an unknown Haemonculus is rarely present during battles. Rather, they play a practical and equally important role in the realization of The Exiled’s collective goal. The vision created by The Stainless themselves sees a superior Drukhari race with dominion over the galaxy; achieved through the realization of the Drukhari’s full potential through martial purity, psychological superiority, and physical perfection. This group of horrifyingly impressive surgeons modify and experiment on the body; making each Exiled soldier faster, stronger, and closer to realizing true physical perfection. Their signature modifications include semi-organic wings used by the scourges of the Screaming Blood, synthetic nerves which create unnaturally quick reflexes even when compared to other Drukhari, and a rare device which is said to amplify the suffering absorbed from The Exiled’s slaughtered victims. It is also rumored that these devices are somewhat responsible for the greater resistance to Slaneesh’s hunger that The Stainless seem to possess. Beyond extreme modification, however, lies the true value of the Coven of the Undying. For they specialize in the rebirth of the body and mind, hence their name. Their unique ability to create entire bodies, into which they swiftly implant one’s consciousness, brings a potency to The Exiled that far exceeds that of any other Drukhari force. The bodies, created with evermore advanced and deadly modifications while the future owners fight in the latest Cleansing War, allow The Exiled forces to fight with disturbing vigor; As they know that a newer, stronger vessel awaits in the depths of the Shard Tower should their current body fail them. This makes any prolonged conquest against The Exiled a self-inflicted death sentence. For as the Coven of the Undying eternally hone their craft, one will only see more of the increasingly deadly products of their sinister genius. The Shard Tower * Now the lair of the Coven of the Undying, the Shard Tower is an enormous jagged monolith akin in appearance to a shard of obsidian. The Tower formerly resided on Commoragh, until The Undying joined the Exiled forces and used their twisted technology to rip the Tower from the Dark City and disappear into the depths of the Webway. Now, the Shard Tower serves as a mobile fortress and laboratory; housing The Undying and their numerous twisted experiments. During planetary raids, this Tower lies in wait in the Webway. Ready to emerge through a tear in the darkness to supply new more advanced bodies to those who have fallen. As well as a specialized squadron of Talos and Mandrakes should the current Exiled army face overwhelming numbers. The Cleansing Wars * Ruthless conquests led by The Exiled in order to purify the galaxy of all who oppose them, a Cleansing War is a precisely coordinated, planet-wide raid designed to wipe a world of sentient life and claim its resources. While the Exiled still conduct raids similar to other Drukhari forces, Cleansing Wars are a stark display of The Exiled’s sinister cunning. The coordinated assault begins with the methodical destruction of all surveillance on the planet. After “The Night of Seven Minutes,” the Exiled strike first at high value targets. Swiftly destroying a handful of major threats while drawing the rest of the enemy forces into the open. As more troops are deployed in a desperate attempt to fend off against the numerous venoms and voidraven bombers of the Screaming Blood swiftly skimming along the planet’s surface, the Exiled open their dreaded webway portals. And through the tear in the blackness pour heavy ravagers bristling with weapons, light raiders carrying squadrons of Kabalites, and finally the enormous Tantalus flagship transporting deadly archons such as The Crow and his merciless black steel battalion of Sunken Souls. And as the threats brought forth by The Exiled become too great, and the chaos sewn by all the scattered threats emerging from tears in space- each more deadly than the last- sees the planet begin to fall, the poor victims of this Cleansing War are forced to send their greatest warrior. Their shining beacon of hope that will vanquish the wretched Drukhari and see the glory of their own restored. It is at this precise moment; when all hope of this ill-fated race hangs on a single magnificent thread, that The Exiled know their victory is sealed. For in the moment that this glorious challenger appears, The Stainless themselves-with their gleaming white armor and terrifying demi-Klaives- emerge through the rift in space to sever the thread of hope with surgical brutality. The shockingly elite warriors cleanly dispatch of all body guards and surrounding troops while the Klaivex butchers the would-be champion. Against generations of pursuing martial purity, and the superior sword art of the Stainless, none survive longer than a few minutes. Once the head is cut from the snake, so to speak, the remaining forces run in terror. The Screaming Bloods, always filled with sadistic glee at the prospect of chasing their prey, pursue the last few troops in their flying venoms. Should the last of the dwindling forces remain, either through useless bravery or simple stupidity, the Stainless are always pleased at the opportunity to sharpen their Klaives on the spines of their victims. Thus is the nature of a Cleansing War. A swift and brutal coordinated assault that obliterates all opposing races from the face of the planet. Once the souls are ripped from every body, The Exiled claim the planet’s resources and use the world as a strategic outpost to further their conquest. The Night of Seven Minutes * The initial phase of the Cleansing Wars of The Exiled. When all planet-wide surveillance goes dark, so begins the Night of Seven minutes. For in that precise time frame, the Exiled prepare their forces while the victim race scrambles to repair their crippled instruments. And before they are able to escape this darkness, or even prepare defenses if they suspect an attack, The Exiled strike. Quickly crippling their enemy in a manner of hours. The Night of Seven minutes is now known by most as an omen not only of death, but of the obliteration of their existence on their precious world. The Perfection * You will not find this event recorded in any Drukhari archives, save for the scrolls within the mountain catacombs of the Stainless. For the Drukhari as a people were wholly embarrassed by this day. On an extermination raid, the Stainless lured the Kabal of the Poisoned Heart into the molten canyons of a fiery planet. There, their Screaming Bloods attacked from the sky, creating chaos and disfunction amongst the soldiers of the Poisoned Heart. And while the Sunken Souls slowly pushed them back into the depths of the planet, the Stainless themselves emerged from the shadows and swiftly destroyed commanding units. All the while, their recently acquired void raven bomber destroyed what little transports the Poisoned Heart possessed. And amidst the fire and shadow, Morgolael Vect himself challenged the mad Archon of the Poisoned Heart. Using two glaives, he defeated the Archon after three minutes. The Haemonculi, however, were apparently waiting for this moment. For while Vect moved to walk away from his fallen foe and rejoin the battle, a Talos in hiding injected him with ichor, paralyzing him in pain. The forces of the Poisoned Heart escaped amidst the chaos and flew back to Commoragh with their newfound prey. It was there that Morgolael was passed from lair to lair of all Haemonculi, who made it their all-consuming desire to break him. Over the course of ten years, they tortured him until his screams of madness were heard throughout the Dark City. Once he was broken, they displayed him in the central chamber, so that all Drukhari could dance, engage in their decadent sadistic rituals, and revel in his agony. Just as the Haemonculi stopped his torture for a moment as they prepared to publicly turn him into another one of their horrid creations, the Stainless warrior stopped screaming. His body ceased to convulse, and he opened his white eyes. With a swift movement he broke free from his restraints, and stood tall amongst the confused and frightened Drukhari. He looked upon the crowd with disdain, and with a sneer said “You disappoint me…Petty creatures. By my forceful hand or another’s, Drukhari will have dominion over all.” He then walked out of the chamber, donned his armor, and disappeared into the webway. Every citizen too stunned or frightened to stop him. This event marked the first time in history that any being resisted the tortures of the Haemonculi. And over the span of a year, the Exiled army doubled in size.